Stanozolol, structure

Steroids that aid in muscle development are called anabolic steroids. They are synthetic derivatives of testosterone, thus have the same muscle-building effect as testosterone. There are more than 100 different anabolic steroids which, vary in structure, duration of action, relative effects and toxicities. Androstenedione, stanozolol and dianabol are anabolic steroids. They are used to treat people suffering from traumas accompanied by muscle deterioration. The use of anabolic steroid can lead to a number of dangerous side-effects, including lowered levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol, which benefits the heart, and elevated levels of harmful low density lipoprotein, stimulation of prostate tumours, clotting disorders and liver problems. 

Anabolic steroids, such as stanozolol, nandrolone, and tetrahydrogestrinone have the same effect on the body as testosterone, but they are more stable, so they are not metabolized as quickly. Tetrahydrogestrinone (also called THG or The Clear), the performance-enhancing drug used by track star Marion Jones during the 2000 Sydney Olympics, was considered a designer steroid because it was initially undetected in urine tests for doping. After its chemical structure and properties were determined, it was added to the list of banned anabolic steroids in 2004. 

Figure 4.5 Structures of selected steroidal analytes 5a-androstan-17P-ol-3-one (1), 5P-androstan-17P-ol-3-one (2), 17a-methyl-5a-androstan-17P-ol-3-one (3), la-methyl-5a-androstan-17P-ol-3-one (4), testosterone (5), nandrolone (6), 1-testosterone (7), metenolone (8), 5a-androst-l-ene-3,17-dione (9), metandienone (10), 18-nor-17P-hydroxymethyl,17a-methyl-androst-l,4,13-trien-3-one (metandienone metabolite) (11), androsta-4,6-dien-17P-ol-3-one (12), androsta-4,9-dien-17P-ol-3-one (13), trenbo-lone (14), methyltrienolone (15), tetrahydrogestrinone (THG, 16), and stanozolol (17).

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